A boy and his dog explore the countryside, greeting the elements of nature that they meet and noting how the environment is changing from winter to spring. - (Baker & Taylor)
In a simple, cheerful conversation with nature, a young boy observes how the season changes from winter to spring in Kenard Pak's Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring.
As days stretch longer, animals creep out from their warm dens, and green begins to grow again, everyone knows—spring is on its way!
Join a boy and his dog as they explore nature and take a stroll through the countryside, greeting all the signs of the coming season. In a series of conversations with everything from the melting brook to chirping birds, they say goodbye to winter and welcome the lushness of spring.
- (
McMillan Palgrave)
Kenard Pak is the author and illustrator of Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn and Goodbye Autumn, Hello Winter. As a visual-development artist, he’s worked with DreamWorks and Disney. Mr. Pak has illustrated many books for children, including Have You Heard the Nesting Bird? by Rita Gray and The Dinner That Cooked Itself by J. C. Hsyu. He lives in San Francisco with his wife and their three cats. - (McMillan Palgrave)
Booklist Reviews
A boy wearing a hooded coat and boots walks around his wintry, rural yard after dark, saying "Hello" to the snow, the frozen pond, and the storm itself. Their replies include a greeting, their points of view on what's happening, and even a "howwwwllllll!" A turn of the page brings a morning full of changes. Now wearing a jacket, shorts, and sneakers, the boy runs outside, greeting the bright sun, the new leaves, and the returning birds. "Goodbye, winter. / Hello spring!" This satisfying picture book contrasts the relative quiet of wintry words such as drift, fall, huddle, and frozen with the vitality of early spring terms: waking, warm, budding, and green grass. In the handsome, digitally enhanced watercolor-and-pencil illustrations, the palette shifts as well. Subtle, mysterious scenes created mainly with black, white, and shades of gray give way to sunlit, increasingly colorful vistas, vibrant with orange, red, yellow, green, and blue. The third in Pak's series on seasonal changes, this handsome picture book is just right for reading aloud as winter ends and spring begins. Preschool-Grade 2. Copyright 2020 Booklist Reviews.
School Library Journal Reviews
PreS-Gr 2—A boy takes a daily walk with his dog through the countryside. The book opens with an array of wintry scenes but as it goes on, the boy observes the changes in the scenery as the season shifts from winter to spring. The book's repetition of the word "hello" becomes a soothing and rhythmic addition to the text. The child appears to be in constant conversation with the natural world around him. These conversations have a poetic tone and flow. The drawings are done in a folk-art style with scenes that often shift perspective, giving readers an opportunity to view the landscape in different ways. Neutral colors are used to portray dark snowy scenery. Snowflakes are streaked and dotted across pages, generating a realistic illusion of movement. Animals with playful expressions can be seen throughout. VERDICT A good addition to any seasonal storytime collection.—Deanna Smith, Pender County Public Library, NC
Copyright 2020 School Library Journal.